Women's underwear and particularly bras have become a part of fashionable dressing. As more and more types, functions and designs of bras are available in the market, customers naturally attempt to find the optimum combination of require purchasing more underwear to meet their special needs. On the other hand, most of the structure and accessories of the underwear in the market are standardized. Manufacturers who seek to include a number of different type, and sometimes mutually exclusive options must manufacture an overly large number of models to try to maximize the probability that a user can purchase a model with the user's optimum features and characteristics in one model.
Compounding this difficulty is the fact that, it is estimated that 70% of women have difficulty with their proper bra measurement and selection, even where a specific configuration of bra garment may be available to them. Even where women purchasers know their size and happen to be lucky enough to have a bra garment with the proper configuration for the subtle details in their size, it still can be very difficult to buy fashionable and well fitting clothes.
Many women's bra clothing items use bra or cup size measurements to distinguish differences in fit, but differences between bra models can be significant. Even further compounding this problem is that of habit. When a wearer finds a size and brand which fits well, there is a tendency to continue purchasing and relying on that brand regardless of how subtle or severely the body changes. This is because a woman's breasts change significantly over time, particularly during and after pregnancy. Other factors include weight loss, weight gain and monthly cycle body weight variations, all of which can have an effect on the fit of a bra. It has been suggested that bra wearers consciously check their bra size once or twice a year to detect mis fit due to significant weight changes.
One method of sizing involves simply first determining a bra band size as the rib cage circumference measurement, and then add 5 inches to that measurement to determine the band size. The second step is to perform a full circumferential measurement around the chest at the height of the fullest part of the breast, and then attempting to estimate a cup size by using the difference between the bra band size (which includes the five inches added) minus and circumference measured at the fullest part of the breast.
A chart is typically used which includes corresponding cup sizes including: half inch=AA; one inch=A; two inches=B; three inches=C; four inches=D; five inches=DD; six inches=E; seven inches=F; and eight inches=G. However, this bra measuring system upon which most ratioed sizes will not work optimally for more than some wearers. Bra manufacturers make assumptions based upon chest girth, cup separation, cup shape and depth and more. In fact, some manufacturers try to assemble the bras based upon an ambiguous combination of bra band sizes and cup sizes as follows: (1) Bra band sizes 32-28 may require: “Slender” build: A cup; “Average” build: B cup; “Heavier” build: C cup; (2) Bra band sizes 40-42 may require: “Average” build: B cup; “Heavier” build: C-D cup; (3) Bra band sizes 44-46 may require: “Average” build: C cup; “Heavier” build: D-DD cup.
Thus, it is clear that these types of approximate characterization are a tacit admission that even if the measurements ARE accurate, there are no real “standards” for bra sizing, and the manufacturers set their own dimensional standards, hoping to ratio up and down for a given size in the hopes that most users fall evenly within some range for each aspect of the bras provided.
Users who buy any type of bra appliance are not likely to be enabled to select an item which is optimized to the user's fit, including cup shape, under wire shape, cup thickness/thinness of material, cut of the cup, separation between the cups (the length difference between cups), length modifiable main strap (such as material, elasticity of material, and strap width, to name a few) and much more. In cases where a user is statistically outside the main averages (design assumptions) within bras are constructed are simply out of luck. In extreme cases users can have their bras tailored, which is an expensive proposition which still may not result in the correct construction, even after several iterations with a custom tailor.
Further, the best fit may involve having a user wear the bra for a few hours in a private setting, especially in the home. Many retail outlets either will not let user's try on the bra underwear or discourage on-site customer fittings. Some bras are specially packaged such that opening the package destroys the packaging. In these cases, a bra which is tried on will likely end up not on the main display shelves and either be returned to the factory or wasted.
The above problems are extremely grave for people for whom an ill fitting bra is a major inconvenience. Other, lesser problems can involve the compatibility of a bra with outer wear. The cut of the cups, the thickness of the shoulder straps and the material of the main strap needs to be compatible with the outer wear chosen. Bras having low upper cup edges are needed for low cut dresses. Even for a given style of dress, further optimization can be desired by the user as to how they chose for their bust line to appear with regard to the dress, including a flattening effect or at the other end of the spectrum, a push-up effect. Color is another subtle factor. Sometimes a dark bra material is needed for dark clothing and sometimes a light bra material is needed for light clothing. Clothing which is partially see-through, or which is tight fitting, as well as loose fitting, can present other compatibility problems. In many cases, the user is faced with the possibility of having to select an uncomfortable garment simply because it “goes with” a particular outer wear item.
For all of the above reasons, it is clear that no currently available bra appliance is available which can meet this diverse number of problems and needs of the consumer and wearer. What is needed is a system which enables quick and easy user customization, not only with respect to individual fit, but also for color, shape and outer wear compatibility.